Animal and poultry feed, generally known as compound feed, are feedstuffs that are blended from various raw materials and additives. Compound feeds can be prepared as complete feeds that provide all the daily required nutrients, as concentrates that provide a part of the ration (protein, energy), or as supplements that provide additional micro-nutrients such as minerals and vitamins. A main ingredient used in commercially prepared feed is feed grains such as, for example, corn, soybeans, sorghum, oats, barley, and combinations thereof.
An important industry within the animal feed industry further includes the sale and manufacture of premixes. Premixes can be composed of micro-ingredients for blending into commercial or individually-produced rations to produce animal feed. Micro-ingredients can include nutrients, vitamins, minerals, chemical preservatives, antibiotics, fermentation products, enzymes, and other essential ingredients.
A source of phosphorous and calcium is commonly added to animal feed as a micro-ingredient. One example of such ingredient that can be used in animal feed is Biofos®. Biofos® is a feed-grade monodicalcium phosphate that is produced by reacting calcium carbonate and wet process defluorinated phosphoric acid. Biofos® is a source of highly available phosphorous (P) and calcium (Ca) with a narrow calcium-to-phosphate ratio, such that it helps meet animal and poultry requirements for these essential nutrients. For example, Biofos® guarantees a minimum 21% phosphorous content, and calcium content in a range from about 15.0 to 18.0%, which allows for flexibility and economy in formulations. Biofos® also provides ease of handling and uniform dispersion in mixed feeds and minerals.
Similarly, Dynafos® is a feed grade dicalcium phosphate produced by reacting wet process defluorinated phosphoric acid with calcium carbonate. Like Biofos®, it is a source of highly available phosphorous (P) and calcium (Ca) that has approximately a 1.1 to 1 calcium:phosphorous ratio, and guarantees a minimum 18.5% phosphorous content, and calcium content in a range from about 20.0% to 24.0%.
Another example micro-ingredient used as a source for phosphorous and calcium in animal feed is Multifos®. Multifos® is a feed-grade tricalcium/defluorinated phosphate, which is derived from phosphate rock in a carefully controlled thermochemical process that enhances biological availability, drives off fluorine, and physically conditions the product for feed mixing. Like Biofos®, Multifos® is a source of highly available phosphorous (P) and calcium (Ca), as well as sodium (Na), that will help provide animal and poultry requirements for these nutrients. For example, Multifos® guarantees a minimum 18% phosphorous content, calcium content in a range from about 30.0 to 34.0%, and sodium content around 5%, which again allows flexibility in feed formulation.
Yet another example micro-ingredient used as a source for phosphorous and calcium in animal feed is Nexfos®. Nexfos® is a granulated feed-grade monodicalcium phosphate incorporating lubricity and abrasivity additives for high throughput and improved energy efficiencies in pelletizing processes. Like Biofos®, Nexfos® is a source of highly available phosphorous (P), calcium (Ca), and sodium (Na), with a narrow calcium-to-phosphate ratio, such that it helps meet animal and poultry requirements for these essential nutrients. For example, Nexfos® guarantees minimum 19% phosphorous content, calcium content in a range of from about 15.0% to 18.0%, and sodium content in a range of from about 4.0% to 5.0%, which allows for flexibility and economy in formulations. Such composition is described in one or both of U.S. Pat. No. 8,012,519 entitled “Granulated monocalcium phosphate product containing abrasivity and lubricity additives,” and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0293792 entitled “Granulated phosphate product containing abrasivity and lubricity additives,” both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Feed blends are formulated according to specific requirements of a target animal. Feed manufactures or compounders prepare the blends by buying the commodities, i.e. the main ingredients, such as, for example, corn, soybeans, sorghum, oats, and barley, and any desired micro-ingredients, and blending or compounding them in a feed mill according to specifications provided by a nutritionist, for example. The blends can be manufactured by feed compounders as meal type, pellets, or crumbles.
One type of feed mill found in the industry for producing feed blends is a pellet mill, which blends a mixture of dry powdered feedstock, such as, for example, flour or grass, a wet ingredient, such as steam or molasses, and any other ingredients, such as micro-ingredients. The dry feedstock, wet ingredient, and any other ingredients are combined to form a mash or meal. The mash or meal is then compacted into an interior of a round die that contains many small holes. The mash or meal is compacted within the die thereby forcing it out of the holes in the form of pellets, to ultimately be fed to livestock.
Although the micro-ingredients provide a highly bioavailable source of inorganic phosphorous, organic phosphorous is also present in animal feed in plant tissue that makes up the main ingredient. However, this phosphorous is present as phytic acid, or inositol hexakisphophate (phytate in salt form), which is indigestible to nonruminant animals, such that the organic phosphate is not available to the animal, and is excreted to the surrounding environment. This unabsorbed or unavailable phosphorous can become potentially hazardous to the immediate surroundings, if introduced into the environment in large quantities.
It is known in the art to add a feed enzyme to animal feed as a separate micro-ingredient, as discussed, for example, in a publication entitled “Considerations on the use of microbial phytase,” by Cefic (January, 2006). A suitable feed enzyme, phytase, or myo-inositol hexakisphosphate phosphohydrolase, is any type of phosphatase enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of phytic acid, rending the phosphorous digestible, such that the organic phosphorous becomes an added source of phosphorous. Phytase is typically bulk blended with the inorganic source of phosphorous, such as Biofos®, Multifos®, Dynafos® or Nexfos®. However, differences in particle size causes settling during transportations and/or storage such that stratification occurs, resulting in uneven distribution of phytase in each animal pellet, and therefore variability in phosphorous content.
Alternatively, separate transportation and storage of the feed enzyme is required, and the feed enzyme is added to the feed composition during pelleting. However, this requires additional storage space, additional manufacturing steps, and potential added cost for having an additional component to be added.
There remains a need for a phosphate ingredient or feed additive for animal feed directly incorporating a feed enzyme, such that the consistent amounts of feed enzyme and inorganic phosphorous is distributed throughout each feed pellet after pelleting, thereby rendering both inorganic and organic phosphorous highly available in the animal feed.